AN/WLR-8

The AN/WLR-8 (V)2 is a tactical Electronic Warfare Support Measure (ESM) Receiver for the SSN 688 Class Submarines providing intercept, surveillance, and signal parameter analysis of electromagnetic signals for threat warning. The limited quantities of this unique equipment are maintained in a pool and rotated among attack submarines as dictated by scheduled operations and to provide specific capability improvements to major SSN sensor systems. This program also procures AN/WLR-8 (V)2 threat detection with an Instantaneous Frequency Monitoring (IFM) signal intercept capability that provides near 100% probability of intercept throughout the SHF frequency band. This improvement significantly increases the systems' capability to detect short duration and wideband threat emissions and will maintain the AN/WLR-8 as a viable ESM System beyond FY-2000.

The AN/WLR-8(V) surveillance receiver, produced by GTE in Massacchusetts, is carried on the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine. It is a modified version of the AN/WLR-8 carried on Lafayette-class SSBNs. Operating between 50 MHz up to J-band, the WLR-8(V) uses seven YIG tuned and vector tuned superheterodyne receivers to detect radar emissions associated with radar guided anti-ship missiles. The system can be programmed to scan sequentially or simultaneously over these bands and measures threat signal direction of arrival, frequency, modulation type, pulse repetition rate, pulse width and amplitude parameters.
AN/WLR-8 (V)2 Extremely High Frequency Field Change Kits extend the receiver frequency range of the AN/WLR-8(V)2. This improvement upgrades the tactical threat
warning capability to intercept the threat radar signals operating in the EHF frequency band.